Balt scores quick T20 hundred

Tall left-hander JC Balt scored 104 runs off just 68 balls yesterday as Samsung Imperial Wanderers remained on course in the defence of their Cricket Namibia’s T20 premier league title.

Balt finished not out after hitting eleven fours and three sixes in their win against Trustco United at the Wanderers field.

The opener lost his partner Karl Birkenstock (13 off 13, 1x4 1x6) with the team on 43 in the sixth over, but then his captain Michau du Preez (72 not out off 39 balls) joined and hit five fours and four sixes.

Wanderers’ total of 213/1 always looked beyond the reach of United’s batting lineup.

Darren van Dyk stood out as a bowler for United, conceding only 4.0 per over (1/16 in 4), while Handre Klazinga’s four overs went for a whopping 71 (17.75 per over), while conceding 12 wides. Thehard Lintvelt (0/22 in 3) was the only other besides Van Dyk to concede less than ten per over.

United lost both openers within the first two overs. Jasper Engelbrecht was bowled by JJ Smit for 0, while Handre Klazinga only managed 1 before being caught by the bowler Karl Birkenstock.

United offered very brief resistance while Dickson Vambe (30 off 32, 4x4) and Van Dyk (26 off 35, 3x4) were together. Christian Schumacher came in at number five and ran out of partners on 11 not out off 21 balls, as United finished their 20 overs at 99/8.

Wanderers’ win by 114 runs was their fourth in five matches, having lost once to WHS Old Boys.

Wanderers is set to lose the services of their coach Gareth Cloete in the coming days, as his family is set for a move to Cape Town following a work offer.

CCD Tigers swept aside

On Saturday afternoon, CCD Tigers won the toss and elected to bat first against the host club Wanderers.

CCD Tigers recorded 113/4 in their 20 overs, with the highlight their former Namibia U19 opener Ryan Moffett’s 52 not out off 66 balls. The opener hit five fours, with Joshuan Julius (14) and Norbert Manyande (19) the other main contributors.

Bernard Scholtz’s wily spin bowling to CCD’s struggles as he took 2/13 in four overs, trapping CCD captain Nicol Loftie-Eaton leg-before on 10 and later dismissing Manyande.

Wanderers were always on course in their chase of a low total. JC Balt was caught out for 42 runs off 44 balls, but by then Wanderers’ score was already on 101 after 13 overs.

Karl Birkenstock’s 58 runs off 41 balls was the dominant innings (7x4 1x6) that steered Wanderers to a 9-wicket win in 15.3 overs, without captain Michau du Preez or JJ Smit required to bat.

Old Boys dominate United

In the Saturday morning match at Wanderers, Windhoek High School Old Boys scored a ten-wicket win against Trustco United, after easily chasing down the latter’s total of 92 all out.

Handre Klazinga opened the batting for United, but fought a lonely battle before being run out for 45 runs off 42 balls.

The spinner Henry van Wyk excelled for the Old Boys with 4/19 – dismissing Francois Steyn (8), Christian Schumacher (2), Hendrik van der Walt (9) and Thehard Lintvelt (0).

Seamer Shaun Fouché took three wickets for just 12 runs in four overs, taking the wickets of Dickson Vambe (3), Darren van Dyk (0) and KC Griffiths (10).

To reach the winning target at 94 without loss after 9.3 overs, WHS Old Boys only needed their opening pair of batsmen, Malan Kruger (23 not out off 24 balls, 3x4 1x6) and JP Kotzé (66 not out off just 32 balls, with five fours and four sixes.